"The right answer is for the British Museum and other cultural institutions to do exactly what they do, which is to link up with other institutions around the world to make sure that the things which we have and look after so well are properly shared with people around the world."

Reuters, when I click a link about a big ass diamond set into the royal crown, I want to see a picture of that big ass diamond, not David Cameron channeling Omar from The Wire. That said, sorry France, you're not getting the Hope Diamond back either. Should've put some heavier security around the French Blue.

cretinbob:"The right answer is for the British Museum and other cultural institutions to do exactly what they do, which is to link up with other institutions around the world to make sure that the things which we have and look after so well are properly shared with people around the world."

I'm OK with this

I've seen the Elgin marbles, and I've seen the current state of the original from which they were cast. I'm 100% okay with the British Museum hanging on to a great deal of the world's cultural heritage.

So you don't believe in "returnism" but you believe in stealing. Cool ethics bro!

THIS. Even if you're not giving it back, at least try and pretend you understand you stole it. FFS. I can understand why you wouldn't want to return it, politics is a dirty game, but you farked up, admit it and move on.

Britain could always say, "We accept this gem, and the curry, in payment for your country not being ruled by men in pajamas, being a literate society, a democracy, giving your educated sons and daughters a place to earn a decent living, and less of a third world shiathole than would otherwise have been the case. You're welcome!"

oldfarthenry:"The diamond had been set in the crown of the current Queen Elizabeth's late mother."

The old broad is dead - what does she care? Give the goddamn thing back!

The article is imprecise. The kiN is set in the Queen-Consort's crown. The Queen Mother was simply the last woman to wear it, being the last Queen Consort. It wasn't her personal jewelry. Supposedly, the thing is cursed, but only if you are a man. So, by putting it in the Queen Consort's crown was supposed to insure it would never be worn by a man again.

give me doughnuts:Somacandra: The moral of the story: colonialism sucks ass (the bad kind), no matter how hard Dinesh D'Souza tries to polish that turd.

It was the best thing that ever happened to Africa.

/gets popcorn

For your popcorn: if you consider the immigration of the brownies from India to UK and pretty much taking over the high skilled fields, is UK getting colonized (never thought of the word, hmm) by India now?

Ebba dabba dooba, surley they weel geeve eet back.Yeah, How about you guys figure out how to use flush toilets, drink clean water, get the cows off the streets, stop stampeding your own people during religious parties, and kick the Muslim psychos out, first, and then we'll talk.About hiring you back as houseboy.

This text is now purple:Somacandra: The moral of the story: colonialism sucks ass (the bad kind), no matter how hard Dinesh D'Souza tries to polish that turd.

It's hard to complain too hard about British colonialism. They tended to leave places in better condition than they found them.

\Now Belgian colonialism...

Exactly. Most of the places the Brits colonized would have zero infrastructure if they hadn't been there. I get tired of former colonies, particularly on the African continent, blaming all of their problems on the West.

mayIFark:give me doughnuts: Somacandra: The moral of the story: colonialism sucks ass (the bad kind), no matter how hard Dinesh D'Souza tries to polish that turd.

It was the best thing that ever happened to Africa.

/gets popcorn

For your popcorn: if you consider the immigration of the brownies from India to UK and pretty much taking over the high skilled fields, is UK getting colonized (never thought of the word, hmm) by India now?

For your popcorn: if you consider the immigration of the brownies from India to UK and pretty much taking over the high skilled fields, is UK getting colonized (never thought of the word, hmm) by India now?